Introduction: Social anxiety is one of the common psychological issues observed among children and adolescents, significantly impacting their mental health and academic performance.
Method: This study aimed to model the mediating role of mentalization in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived social support with social anxiety symptoms among high school students in Kermanshah. The research method was correlational, utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population included all high school students in Kermanshah during the 2023-2024 academic year, from which 290 participants were selected using cluster sampling. Data collection tools consisted of standardized questionnaires on social anxiety among adolescents, childhood maltreatment, perceived social support, and mentalization. Relationships between variables were analyzed using Pearson correlation tests, and the research model was examined through SEM techniques.

Results: Findings indicated that perceived social support had both direct and indirect effects (mediated by mentalization) on social anxiety (p < 0.05). Childhood maltreatment had a direct effect on social anxiety (p < 0.05). Model fit indices confirmed the adequacy of the model, and predictive variables explained 62% of the variance in social anxiety.

Conclusion: The results highlighted the complex and multidimensional psychological pathways between early experiences and emotional outcomes. Mentalization as a mediating factor can play a significant role in the early identification of social anxiety and effective interventions to prevent its adverse effects on adolescents’ mental health.